Inflammation, pyroptosis and its possible relation to the physiopathology of covid-19

Abstract

SARS-CoV-2 is the causal agent of the current 2019 coronavirus disease pandemic (COVID-19). Like other respiratory coronaviruses, SARS-CoV-2 is transmitted primarily through respiratory droplets released from an infected person. The pathophysiology of SARS-CoV-2 infection is similar to that of SARS-CoV infection, with aggressive inflammatory responses resulting in severe damage to the respiratory tract. In this review we address the importance of the innate immune response in the physiopathology of COVID-19 with special emphasis on the activation of the inflammasome and the consequent cell death by pyroptosis, two essential elements that could explain the exacerbated inflammatory response observed in some patients.